--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I find problematic is the suggestion…" description: "\"What I find problematic is the suggestion that when, say, Madonna adopts an African child, she is saving Africa. It's not that simple. You have to do m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59b/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-505_adopt_what-i-find-problematic-is-the-suggestio_1441504.png" --- # What I find problematic is the suggestion that when, say… ![“What I find problematic is the suggestion that when, say, Madonna adopts an African child, she is saving Africa. It's not that simple. You have to do more than go there and adopt a child or show us pictures of children with flies in their eyes. That simplifies Africa.” quote by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59b/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-505_adopt_what-i-find-problematic-is-the-suggestio_1441504.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59b/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-505_adopt_what-i-find-problematic-is-the-suggestio_1441504.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59b/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-505_adopt_what-i-find-problematic-is-the-suggestio_1441504.png) > “What I find problematic is the suggestion that when, say, Madonna adopts an African child, she is saving Africa. It's not that simple. You have to do more than go there and adopt a child or show us pictures of children with flies in their eyes. That simplifies Africa.” [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adopting a child from another culture is not a simple act of rescue; it requires deeper engagement beyond symbolic gestures. **In simple terms:** Adoption is complex, not a quick fix. Key Takeaway Engage responsibly and learn beyond surface actions. Themes culture responsibility humanitarianism Mood thoughtful critical Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - adoption - volunteering - international aid - education programs Key Concepts colonialism ethical adoption global awareness Questions to Reflect On - How can you support communities beyond adoption? - What responsibilities come with cross‑cultural aid? A Different Perspective Simplistic actions can perpetuate stereotypes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adopt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adopt/) [Adopts African](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adopts-african-5160195/) [Africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa/) [African](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes/) [Find](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/find/) [Flies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flies/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Madonna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madonna/) [Madonna Adopts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madonna-adopts-5160194/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Pictures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pictures/) [Problematic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problematic/) [Problematic Suggestion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problematic-suggestion-5160197/) [Saving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saving/) [Saving Africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saving-africa-5160196/) [Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say/) [She](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/she/) [Show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/show/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Suggestion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suggestion/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [I can see why the UFC would picture me as being a bit problematic, because I do say what I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hardy/i-can-see-why-the-ufc-would-picture-me-as-being-a-bit-problematic/) [Dan Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hardy/) > [..why is it that in problematic situations almost everyone resorts to axioms and societal remedies that in actuality almost nobody believes in?...ask yourself, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-is-it-that-in-problematic-situations-almost-everyone-resorts-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I look at life as a one-time opportunity, and you have to take pleasure in each moment, even if it is very problematic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ori-gersht/i-look-at-life-as-a-one-time-opportunity-and-you-have-to-take/) [Ori Gersht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ori-gersht/) > [The 14th Amendment was recognized right away to be problematic. 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My relationship with the rulers has always been problematic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/the-relationship-with-my-people-the-nigerian-people-is-very-good-my/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) ## More by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie > [“What I’ve noticed being here is that many English people are in awe of America but also deeply resent it,” Obinze added. “Perfectly true,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/what-i-ve-noticed-being-here-is-that-many-english-people-are-in-awe/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [If you followed the media you'd think that everybody in Africa was starving to death, and that's not the case; so it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-you-followed-the-media-you-d-think-that-everybody-in-africa-was/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [“Because human beings lived then in a world in which physical strength was the most important attribute for survival; the physically stronger person was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/because-human-beings-lived-then-in-a-world-in-which-physical-strength/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [To return to the books of my childhood is to yield to the strain of nostalgia that is curious about the self I once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/to-return-to-the-books-of-my-childhood-is-to-yield-to-the-strain-of/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [I think white women need to wake up and say, 'Not all women are white,' three times in front of the mirror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/i-think-white-women-need-to-wake-up-and-say-not-all-women-are-white/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings in the way that boys are. If we have sons, we don't mind knowing about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/we-teach-girls-that-they-cannot-be-sexual-beings-in-the-way-that-boys/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [“Alexa, and the other guests, and perhaps even Georgina, all understood the fleeing from war, from the kind of poverty that crushed human souls,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/alexa-and-the-other-guests-and-perhaps-even-georgina-all-understood/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [“I discovered race in America and it fascinated me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/i-discovered-race-in-america-and-it-fascinated-me/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [“It was not as if he did not know what living in Lagos could do to a woman married to a young and wealthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/it-was-not-as-if-he-did-not-know-what-living-in-lagos-could-do-to-a/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [“They have the kinds of things we can eat.' An unease crept up on Ifemelu. She was comfortable here, and she wished she were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/they-have-the-kinds-of-things-we-can-eat-an-unease-crept-up-on/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [If I were not African, I wonder whether it would be clear to me that Africa is a place where the people do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-i-were-not-african-i-wonder-whether-it-would-be-clear-to-me-that/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [“But race is not biology; race is sociology. Race is not genotype; race is phenotype. Race matters because of racism. And racism is absurd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/but-race-is-not-biology-race-is-sociology-race-is-not-genotype-race/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [I like the U.S. and feel gratitude towards it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/i-like-the-u-s-and-feel-gratitude-towards-it/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [I’m very feminist in the way I look at the world, and that worldview must somehow be part of my work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/i-m-very-feminist-in-the-way-i-look-at-the-world-and-that-worldview/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [Perhaps it is time to debate culture. The common story is that in 'real' African culture, before it was tainted by the West, gender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/perhaps-it-is-time-to-debate-culture-the-common-story-is-that-in-real/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) [Explore all 491 Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) ## More Adopt quotes > [If it was possible for me to adopt, I probably would, but no one's going to let me adopt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/if-it-was-possible-for-me-to-adopt-i-probably-would-but-no-one-s/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) > [As consumers adopt crypto, we hope that they'll also be interested in trading equities and options.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baiju-bhatt/as-consumers-adopt-crypto-we-hope-that-they-ll-also-be-interested-in/) [Baiju Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baiju-bhatt/) > [School districts in the US don't adopt technology very quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/school-districts-in-the-us-don-t-adopt-technology-very-quickly/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [Some women just skip having babies or adopt because they don't want to get fat or they haven't put in the time to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-pressly/some-women-just-skip-having-babies-or-adopt-because-they-don-t-want/) [Jaime Pressly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-pressly/) > [That's the kind of musical freedom I like: jazz, rock, blues, anything. You adopt different attitudes when you play different music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-lee/that-s-the-kind-of-musical-freedom-i-like-jazz-rock-blues-anything/) [Alvin Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-lee/) > [“The best posture you can adopt when pursuing your goals is neither to stand nor sit. The best position is to STANDOUT! Everyone may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-best-posture-you-can-adopt-when-pursuing-your-goals-is-neither-to/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I've always been very curious about fringe cultures where people temporarily adopt a different social model or way of presenting themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/i-ve-always-been-very-curious-about-fringe-cultures-where-people/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“If the system were designed to protect adoptees, why do so many have to fight for their rights?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashanne-stokes/if-the-system-were-designed-to-protect-adoptees-why-do-so-many-have/) [DaShanne Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashanne-stokes/) > [There are so many kids out there that need to be adopted and need good homes. I definitely want to have my own but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-bass/there-are-so-many-kids-out-there-that-need-to-be-adopted-and-need/) [Lance Bass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-bass/) > [I love spreading the word and encouraging people to adopt from their local shelters. There are so many wonderful animals waiting for loving homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ostrosky-stern/i-love-spreading-the-word-and-encouraging-people-to-adopt-from-their/) [Beth Ostrosky Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ostrosky-stern/) > [You see something happen to a population whereby everyone adopts something that's just preposterous in a way that makes it normal instantly. If any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-albini/you-see-something-happen-to-a-population-whereby-everyone-adopts/) [Steve Albini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-albini/) > [Love your neighbor as yourself. That's what we need to adopt to be a better country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-marshall/love-your-neighbor-as-yourself-that-s-what-we-need-to-adopt-to-be-a/) [Brandon Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-marshall/) > [When you adopt an animal at a shelter you are saving two lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ostrosky-stern/when-you-adopt-an-animal-at-a-shelter-you-are-saving-two-lives/) [Beth Ostrosky Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ostrosky-stern/) > [When I was growing up, I wanted to adopt, because I was aware there were kids that didn't have parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/when-i-was-growing-up-i-wanted-to-adopt-because-i-was-aware-there/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [“I don’t want to adopt your ideas, I want to give birth to them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-don-t-want-to-adopt-your-ideas-i-want-to-give-birth-to-them/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) [Browse all 195 Adopt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adopt/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What I find problematic is the suggestion that when, say, Madonna adopts an African child, she is saving Africa. 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